Charging mechanism for aerators and the like



Dec.14,1943. .L.T,'V;,ARD 2,336,708

CHARGING MECHANISM FQR AERATORS AND THE LIKE Original FiledJfily 29,1940 Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNITED ST TES OFFICE Lawrence T. Ward,Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Knapp-Monarch Comp corporation ofMissouri Original application Jul Claims.

My present invention relates to a charging mechanism for aerators andthe like for charging them with compressed gas or the like, the presentinvention being a division of my copending application Serial No.348,240, filed July 29, 1940, which has issued as Patent No. 2,305,286of Dec. 15, 1942.

One object of the invention is to provide a charging mechanism ofsimple, durable and inexpensive construction which may be connected byscrew-threaded means to an aerator or the like, where such aeratorincludes a normally closed check valve which is opened by the chargingmechanism as it is connected to the aerator.

Another object is to provide a charging mechanism formed of a bulbholder having a piercing pin carried thereby and operable on one end toopen the check valve in the top of the aerator and on its other end topierce the bulb for permitting entry of gas from the bulb into the aer.-ator, the bulb holder being screw-threaded on the aerator so that,initially, the valve in the aerator is opened, and, thereafter, the bulbis pierced.

A further object is to provide a charging mechanism having a floatingportion carrying a combined piercing pin and check valve opening pin toeffect the operation just described.

Although my charging mechanism is susceptible of a variety ofembodiments it is unnecessary to fully describe and illustrate more thanone such embodiment in order to give a full understanding of theinvention, both from its structural and functional standpoints.Accordingly, on the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a preferredand desirable embodiment of the invention, said drawing forming a partof this specification, and throughout the views of which like referencecharacters refer to similar parts.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gas bulb holder embodying myinvention, showing a gas bulb being inserted therein;

' Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,showing the bulb holder separated from the aerator;

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the bulb holder associated with theaerator, and the compressed gas being transferred from the bulb to theaerator; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2showing a dispenser valve plug.

On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral H] toindicate a container of any, St. Louis, MO., a

y 29, 1940, Serial No. Divided and this application October 1942, SerialNo. 461,813

an aerator or the like, as shown in my parent application. The containerI 0 has the usual syphon tube l3 projecting into it, the tube beingwelded or brazed into a bushing M at its upper end, which bushing ispositioned against a gasket 15 by a fitting l6 threaded onto thebushing. The gasket is thereby compressed between the top of thecontainer 40 and the fitting Hi to seal the container against leakage atthis point.

The fitting l6 has a valve seat 23 for a dispensing valve plug 25. Thevalve plug 2| is formed of rubber or the like, with a hemisphericalupper end. The valve plug 2| rests on a shoulder formed by the upper endof the syphon tube I 3 and is provided with a plurality of grooves 22(see Figure 4) to permit passage of gas into 01' from the syphon tube.An actuating pin 23 is loosely mounted in the fitting M5 for slidingmovement. and has a head 24 on its lower end provided with a concaveseat resting against the valve plug 2 l. Ordinarily, a dispensing head(not shown in this application but disclosed in the parent application)is mounted on a threaded upper end 25 of the fitting [6. When it isdesirable to charge the container H) with compressed gas, however, suchdispensing head is removed, and my charging mechanism, which will now bedescribed, is associated with the fitting I6.

My charging mechanism comprises a holder 4| for a compressed gas bulb40, the bulb being insertable into the holder, as illustrated inFigure 1. The holder 4| has a sleeve portion 42 provided with threads 43adapted to be screwed onto a threaded part 26 of the fitting IS.

The holder 4| also has a sleeve portion 44 in which is slidably andnon-rotatably supported a floating piercing pin support 45. The support45 has a pair of fingers 46 slidable in slots 41 of the holder toprovide further slidable and nonrotatable mounting of the piercing pinsupport relative to the bulb holder. 7

A bulb piercing pin 48 is carried by the support 45, and the support hasa pair of gasket members 49 and 59 carried thereby. The gasket member 49is adapted to contact with the upper end of the fitting I 6, as shown inFigure 3, to effect a seal at this point, while the gasket 50 is adaptedto effect a seal between the support 45 and the neck of the bulb 40. Thelower end of the piercing pin 48 is slotted, as at 5!, to permit passageof gas from the bore of the piercing pin into the fitting Hi When thepiercing pin is serving toopen the valve 2|, as in Figure 3 by engagingthe actuator pin 2 Practical operation When it is desirable to chargethe container ID with compressed gas, the aerator is filled with theproper amount of material to be aerated, such as cream, and the bulb 4Bis placed in the holder 4|, as shown in Figure 1. Thereafter, the holderis positioned over the fitting l6, as in Figure 2, and screwed intoposition on the fitting, as in Figure 3. After the gasket 49 effects aseal with the upper end of the fitting IS, the

piercing pin 48 will actuate the pin 23 to cause it to open the valve2|, following which the valve 2| will offer sufficient resistance to theactuating pin to cause the support 45 to move upwardly relative to theholder 4|, and effect piercing of the discharge end of the bulb 40 bythe piercing pin. The gas from the bulb thereupon enters the syphon l3through grooves 22 of the dispensing valve 2|, as shown by arrows inFigure 3. The introduced gas will issue as bubbles from the lower end ofthe syphon tube l3 and pass upwardly through the cream. The aerator isvigorously shaken while the gas is being introduced so as to facilitateabsorption of the gas by the cream.

After charging the aerator, the holder 4| may be unscrewed, and, in sodoing, the actuating pin 23 is released so that the inherent resiliencyof the dispensing valve 2| causes its expansion back to the originalposition of Figure 2, seated against a the seat 20. Thereafter, thedispensing head may be placed on the threaded part 25 of the fitting l6and the contents of the aerator dispensed by the valve lever of thedispensing head coacting with the pin 23 to depress it and compress thevalve 2| to permit controlled fiow of the aerated material from theaerator.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofmy invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modifiedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably included within their scope without sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an aerator, a container having a fitting at its upper end, asyphon tube depending from said fitting, said fitting having a valveseat, a rubber valve interposed between the upper end of said syphontube and said valve seat, an actuating pin in said fitting, a compressedgas bulb holder adapted to be threaded on said fitting, a piercing pinsupport slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said holder, and apiercing pin carried by said support and adapted to contact with saidactuating pin as said bulb holder is screwed into position and to piercethe bulb held thereby.

2. In an aerator, a container having a. fitting at its upper end, asyphon tube depending from said fitting, said fitting having a valveseat, a valve for seating on said valve seat, an actuating pin for saidvalve in said fitting, a compressed gas bulb holder adapted to beconnected with said fitting, a piercing pin support slidably mounted insaid holder, a piercing pin carried thereby and adapted at one end tocontact with sa d actuating pin as said bulb holder is mounted inposition and at its other end to pierce the bulb held thereby.

3. An aerator comprising a container, a compressed gas bulb holderadapted to be mounted on said container, a piercing pin support movablymounted in said holder, gaskets carried on opposite sides thereof, onefor contact with the bulb and the other for contact with the container,and a piercing pin carried by said support and adapted to providecommunication between said bulb and said container when said bulb holderis mounted in position on said container and to pierce the bulb held bythe bulb holder after said gaskets have made their contacts.

4. In in aerator, a container having a fitting at its upper end, asyphon tube depending from said fitting, said fitting having a valveseat, a rubber valve interposed between the upper end of said syphontube and said valve seat, an actuating pin slidable in said fitting, acompressed gas bulb holder adapted to be threaded on said fitting, apiercing pin support slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said bulbholder, a piercing pin carried by said support and adapted to contactwith said actuating pin as said holder is screwed into position, and topierce the bulb held thereby, gaskets mounted on opposite sides. of saidsupport, one of said gaskets being adapted for sealing contact with thefitting on said container and the other for sealing contact with theneck of a bulb in said bulb holder.

5. A device of the class described comprising a container having asyphon tube depending thereinto, a valve in said syphon tube, acompressed gas bulb holder adapted to be mounted on said container, apiercing pin support movably mounted in said holder, a piercing pin.carried by said support and adapted at one end to open said valve whensaid bulb holder is mounted in position and at its other end to piercethe bulb held thereby, gaskets mounted on opposite sides of saidsupport, one of said gaskets being adapted for sealing contact with thesyphon tube and the other for sealing contact with a bulb in said bulbholder.

6. An aerator comprising. a container having a fitting thereon, a syphontube depending from said fitting, a valve in said syphon tube, acompressed gas bulb holder adapted to be mounted on said fitting, apiercing pin support movably mounted in said holder, a piercing pincarried by said support and adapted to open said valve and thereafterpierce the bulb held by said bulb holder as the bulb holder is mountedin position, gaskets mounted on opposite sides of said support, one ofsaid gaskets being adapted for sealing relation with said container andthe other for sealing relation with a bulb in said bulb holder.

7. In a device of the class described, a container having a fittingthereon, a syphon tube depending from said fitting, a compressed gasbulb holder adapted tobe threaded on said fitting, a piercing pinsupport slidably andnon-rotatably mounted in said holder, a piercing'pincarried by said support and adapted" to pierce the bulb held by saidholder, and gaskets mounted on opposite sidesof said support, one ofsaid gaskets being adaptedfor sealing contact with said container andthe other for sealing contact with a bulb in said bulb holder.

8. In a device of the class described, a fitting adapted to receive gasfrom a compressed gas bulb, a holder for the bulb adapted to be threadedon said fitting, a piercing pin support slidably mounted in said holder,a piercing pin carried by said support and adapted to pierce the bulbheld by said holder, and gaskets mounted on opposite sides of saidsupport, one of said gaskets being adapted for sealing contact with saidfitting and the other for sealing contact with a bulb insaid bulbholder.

9; A device of the kind disclosed comprising a sealing relation withsaid fitting and the other for 10 sealing relation with a bulb in saidbulb holder.

3 10. A device of the class described comprising a container having anopening, a resilient valve plug for said opening, a compressed gas bulbholder adapted to be mounted on said container, a piercing pin supportmovably mounted in said holder, and a piercing pin carried by saidsupport and adapted at one end to compress said valve plug and therebyspace it from said opening when said bulb holder i mounted in positionand at its other end to pierce the bulb held thereby.

LAWRENCE T. WARD.

